Ewing, Jr. appears to be slated for the role played by the recently dealt Renaldo Balkman of defensive-oriented forward who can guard multiple players–only, listed at 6’8″ 240, he’s bigger than Balkman.

Bottom line on this is: It’s almost certainly meaningless beyond its inherent PR-feel good value. However, I like it because Jr. has a ton of athletic ability and a high basketball IQ. He’s a long shot that might just develop late. Cut Big Snacks and keep Jr. on the roster with some good coaching and see what happens. If nothing else, he’ll make a good addition to the practice squad.

Low risk, high potential, probably meaningless move. We’re about due to catch a lucky break.

he’s tall and athletic, so i don’t know how much of a long shot he is to make the roster. a long shot to be a rotation player, maybe.
this is a trade that everyone everywhere will like, whether for the fun of bringing in ewing’s son or the fact that we actually got something for the legendary frederic weis.

It’s a longshot mainly b/c of all the other contracts we have cluttering the roster already. Something tells me it would take an incredible effort on Ew2’s part to convince Walsh and co. to eat up a possibly valuable future expiring contract now.

So maybe he has a shot, but a good move in terms of PR. Very symbolic – exorcise Weis, and bring back Ewing.

But how does this look if he gets cut in 5 weeks? Like someone here said, cut Jerome James and keep Ewing as a practice dummy. Net cost would be $270k or whatever the minimum is. At least Ewing will be there in practices, hussling and working hard.

If it’s a PR move, the timing is odd. Why do it right before a holiday weekend at the start of the college football season? Maybe their next symbolic move will be during the third quarter of the Super Bowl?

I don’t put a lot of stock into this move. I’d be shocked if he made the team – and I’d be even more shocked if he actually played.

Will the Knicks say Ahl-vee-dah-zaye to Steph next? This will be an interesting story, because the point spot is all but promised to Duhon and Walsh/D’Antoni have raved about Crawford. As we know, Steph won’t come off the bench. I think he will be let go, but they’re waiting til the very last minute to limit his chances of hooking up elsewhere. Could get Nasty. I think they like Mardy for whatever reason. Jerome James? Who knows what he’ll be up to, but we don’t have a center behind Big Snacks, so they will probably keep him this year, barring a Randolph trade to bring back a center. Look for fireworks sometime before mid-October…

Why on earth would we keep Jerome James when we would have Jr. come in and work hard and impact defensively off the bench. Walsh has to make the right move here and build for the future. We dont need Jerome or Mardy. I hope Donnie makes some moves soon.

I think we are all so desperate that we would like to see moves sooner than later. I don’t care when the moves come, so long as they are good ones for the long term. That’s why I would prefer to keep Steph on the roster until later unless a reasonable deal comes along. Forget his past and let his attitude, desire, and ability to adapt (or lack thereof) determing how long he stays. If he actually comes to camp healthy, in shape, and with a positive approach, let him play. He has zero impact on long-term plans and is probably still the best PG on the team.

The same goes for everyone else. I can be patient with Walsh so long as he keeps his eyes on 2-3 years down the road and does not make any Isiah-like moves.

I tend to agree that Marbury is still probably one of the better players on the Knicks. So “in theory” he should be able to contribute. We also might even be able to trade him for something worthwhile later on if he proves he still has something left in the tank (and I believe he does).

However, my personal distaste for him is so strong that even a small probability that he might do something to give me heartburn is more than enough for me to want him out the door. I’d rather lose than feel like I sold my soul to Satan to win a few extra games and/or get a decent player for him later.

I have no idea what Walsh will do. I think this is a legitimately difficult issue if you don’t just think about it in terms of value and instead think about it in terms of “values”.

Philosophically, I agree that we should wait and see what we can get for Marbury, but personally, I want him gone, especially if cutting him would allow us to get Ew2 on the roster. Plus, it’s almost assured that if we were to trade him, we’d just get back longer contracts in return, and that’s not something I care to have happen, unless one of those contracts belongs to a young, stud PG or C.

z-man,
I tend to agree that Marbury is still probably one of the better players on the Knicks. So “in theory” he should be able to contribute. We also might even be able to trade him for something worthwhile later on if he proves he still has something left in the tank (and I believe he does).
However, my personal distaste for him is so strong that even a small probability that he might do something to give me heartburn is more than enough for me to want him out the door. I’d rather lose than feel like I sold my soul to Satan to win a few extra games and/or get a decent player for him later.
I have no idea what Walsh will do. I think this is a legitimately difficult issue if you don’t just think about it in terms of value and instead think about it in terms of “values”.

IS, I understand the disgust at the Steph era, but it was also the Isiah era. I think it is important to be as unemotional as possible. Especially since:

1. We suck on paper and will probably suck whether Steph is here or not. A healthy, productive Steph is one of the few scenarios that could offer some hope for a somewhat competitive season. He can be released at the first sign of dysfunction.

2. Duhon is probably not the answer. If were Rose or Bayless were our new young PG, or we traded for one of the Memphis trio, I could see getting rid of him before the season starts.

3. In a way, there would be less pressure on Duhon, et.al. if Steph started the season with the Knicks, was unsuccessful and then released, rather than if the non-Steph entities start the season. So far, all reports have Steph holding up his end of the bargain by engaging in an intensive off-season workout program. If this is typical Steph bullshit, it will be obvious when he reports out of shape on day 1 of training camp and he can be released immediately. If not, I for one would like to see him play reasonably well and in Dec or Jan, when a contending team loses its PG to injury, to get a draft pick and/or a less than 2-year contract package for him.

He sounds like a Balkman clone with his high energy, athleticism, 7 foot wingspan, but he has a high basketball IQ which definitely endears him to D’Antoni, I think this is a minor yet definitely solid move.

I don’t get it. Everyone here was crying about how the Knicks traded Balkman, then they bring in the exact same player and there’s no excitement.

Junior is a good fit on this D’Antoni squad. Unlike Balkman, you don’t lose 40 pounds when you stick him at PF. And by all accounts, he has a higher offensive IQ than Balkman, if not the same skillset.

Let’s not forget this is a new Knick regime. They are rebuilding and would prefer youth. Aside from getting a medical retirement for Jerome James, there are still plenty of players they could trade between now and the end of training camp.

And if he does get cut, it’s unlikely he goes very far. He’ll probably just bide time in the D-League waiting for the Knicks or another team to free up a roster spot.

And it’s not clear that he is “the exact same player.” If he posts the same kinds of numbers as Balkman did his rookie year, then I will get excited. But I am not optimistic, given his highly lackluster college numbers.

I think its a good deal and it wont be that difficult to keep him, with steph up in the air. dump jerome james, he is not necessary in this transition. right now with the addition of duhon mardy is also expendable.
Jr has the best vertical out of anyone in the draft, thats alot of talent and athletism. plus hes a high IQ/hustle type player, balkman was a stud defensively, and mardy is solid also on D, but they the offensive game. Jrs jumper is ok but needs to be better, but hes played well with other “stars” jeff green,roy hibbert etc. I do think hes a talent that can develop and is stout and strong enough to bang, he defended mostly the best power forward on the opposing team, and he does have some upside…
i think donnie is slowly implementing his plan so we’ll see how it goes, but training camp should be interested since no one knows who D’antoni is gonna rely on or rag on…

Things are looking up except for one thing, Clyde Frazier. I vote for Gus Johnson or Marv Albert. Clyde is an instigator and a bad announcer. he’s the last one to celebrate any good plays the knicks make towards the basket and if he does he does it reluctantly in comparison to his enthusiasm when the opponent does the same.

I have been watching the knick games for years and trust me when I tell you Clyde needs to go. He will do and say anything for the season to end early.

Things are looking up except for one thing, Clyde Frazier. I vote for Gus Johnson or Marv Albert. Clyde is an instigator and a bad announcer. he’s the last one to celebrate any good plays the knicks make towards the basket and if he does he does it reluctantly in comparison to his enthusiasm when the opponent does the same.
I have been watching the knick games for years and trust me when I tell you Clyde needs to go. He will do and say anything for the season to end early.

I totally disagree. I love Clyde, and have never found his insights to be unfairly biased against the success of the Knicks. In the 90’s he was very enthusiastic about the team, moreso than Marv, who berated them on the air during the ’94 finals, got involved in a bizarre sex scandal, screwed an up-and-coming Net announcer, and is generally as phony as his toupee (although an unparalleled announcer, I must admit.) Honestly, have the Knicks been worthy of much praise relative to opponents in the last 7-8 years?

John Andariese has been very critical of the knicks day in and out when they deserved it, and rightfully so; who wants a mindless shill providing commentary to what are said to be the NBA’s most intelligent fans? Gus Johnson is a limited play-by-play guy who is a nice man and has his moments, but is not in the same league with guys like Albert and Breen. As a color commentator, Clyde is fine; he can get repetitive and his rhymes and witticisms can be tedious, but I have never sensed undeserved bias in either direction on his part.

Speaking of tv announcers, wasn’t there a time not too long ago on this very board when some poster or another was actively proclaiming Clyde’s less-than-supportive announcing as a key reason for why the team was failing so wretchedly? I think it actually happened…

How can a true Knicks fan say anything bad about Clyde? are you kidding me? Get outta here. Clyde is the best. He adds so much personality to the show and his commentary is on point because he points out the fundamental flaws in the players and roots everything down to a lack of confidence. Simple.

Whenever someone brings up the “true fan” bit–particularly so unnecessarily and over a matter so trivial as this–a bit or two of me becomes frustrated and cries. Also, being a “true fan” cannot possibly be judged based upon one’s opinion of how well a fairly lackluster announcer, but franchise great, does his job.

Whenever someone brings up the “true fan” bit–particularly so unnecessarily and over a matter so trivial as this–a bit or two of me becomes frustrated and cries. Also, being a “true fan” cannot possibly be judged based upon one’s opinion of how well a fairly lackluster announcer, but franchise great, does his job.

I think that kind of talk is de rigueur among Yankee fans.. just sayin.

Clyde is a pretty lousy announcer, but he’s so idiosyncratic that he holds a place in my heart. Still, I’m just as likely to watch a game on mute unless Hubie Brown is in the booth – dude’s a basketball genius.

If you were already a Knicks fan in 1969 (like I was at the age of 10), it would be a lot easier for you to enjoy Frazier as an announcer. He was colorful, a great player, on a great team, and played the game the way most long time observers of the sport feel is the correct way to play. If we had him now, we would immediately become a solid playoff team because he would play great defense, insist on team play, have the respect to demand that of others, and carry all our currently heartless players during the 4th quarter when we needed leadership and clutch play.

Whenever someone brings up the “true fan” bit–particularly so unnecessarily and over a matter so trivial as this–a bit or two of me becomes frustrated and cries. Also, being a “true fan” cannot possibly be judged based upon one’s opinion of how well a fairly lackluster announcer, but franchise great, does his job.

I think that kind of talk is de rigueur among Yankee fans.. just sayin.
Clyde is a pretty lousy announcer, but he’s so idiosyncratic that he holds a place in my heart. Still, I’m just as likely to watch a game on mute unless Hubie Brown is in the booth – dude’s a basketball genius.

I cant imagine anyone on this message board is not a “true fan”. The Knicks are about as painful a franchise as any in all of sports and anyone that still cares (sadly, me for one) is obviously a true fan. If you can still care through the suffering, you are a true fan.

And losing Marv Albert was a tragedy. Marv was one of the Knicks crown jewels, a hall of famer for certain and the voice I grew up with watching the Knicks (along with Andariese). Who cares about his personal life? He is an incredible announcer and was basically run across the river by Dolan. Dolan has destroyed everything we love about this team and the day he is gone will be the happiest day of my life as a Knick fan (happier than the day Pat Ewing rose to the rafters and his put back put us in the finals). I was at MSG that night and doubt I will ever feel anything greater than that as a Knick fan. Ill bet Marv’s call was pretty sweet on that too.